The Best Affordable, at Home / Do-it-Yourself Facial

I adore being pampered. Ask me what I want for my birthday and the answer is bound to be something spa-related. What could be better than lying in a quiet room, perfectly temperature-controlled, with dim lights and soothing music. It's the next best thing to a flotation tank...so I'm told.Obviously, there's no way to give myself a complete body massage, but facials are another thing. After trying a range of products, some affordable, some not so, I've finally mastered the art of at home facials, thereby saving lots of money that I can now put towards massages. See. It all evens out in the end!

The best thing about my findings is that my favorite product happen to be some of the least expensive and most accessible. Here's how your hour of self-indulgence should look:

Visit your local drugstore, discount store, etc. I find my supplies at the local CVS or Walmart. Pick up the following:

Queen Helene Facial Scrub....either Oatmeal and Honey or Apricot will be fine. This product gently exfoliates dead skin.

Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque. This product dries up pimples and shrinks large pores.

Queen Helene Grape See Extract Peel-Off Masque. This product softens facial lines and tones the skin.

Seabreeze Astringent for Sensitive Skin

The Queen Helene products are each under $3.00. The Seabreeze is about $6.00, depending on the size you purchase.

Go home, put on comfy clothes and get ready to enjoy the process.

Put about three inches of water in a big pot. Bring it to a boil, then leave it on simmer. Create a nearby space on a table to which you can easily transport the pot. You'll be using the steam more than once. Put a few drops of either eucalyptus oil or lavender oil in the simmering pot. You can find the oils at most natural foods stores.

First step:

Remove all makeup.

Scrub your face with the Facial Scrub. Massage it in gently. This isn't about removing the skin, its about revitalizing it! Do this for about 2-3 minutes and then rinse with lukewarm water and pat dry.

Put the simmering pot on the table. Carefully cover the pot with a bath towel and duck your head inside the tent. Inhale and exhalethe steam slowly, take in the aromas and let them heal you. Do this for about 5 minutes. The carefully remove the towel and return the pot to the stove to simmer.

Rinse your face with cool water. Dab on some Seabreeze. Let it dry. Then Apply the Mint Julep Masque. Don't be stingy. You want a nice thick covering. It'll probably take a squirt from the tube that's about 3 inches long. After one time, you'll find your level of comfort. Smooth the masque on. Avoid the area right around your eyes. Avoid eyebrows. Feel free to go as far down your neck as you want to go.

Sit down in a comfortable chair, close your eyes and relax for about 10 minutes. The masque should then be dry. You'll see the color has lightened considerably once the masque is dry. With a washcloth soaked in warm water, remove the masque completely.

Return to the simmering pot. Put it on the table again and repeat the earlier process with the towel. Once you've done your five minutes, you can pour out the pot's contents.

Again, dab your face with the Seabreeze. Let it dry. Now apply the Grape Seed Masque, avoiding the same areas mentioned earlier. Leave this masque on for a good half hour. Rinse with a washcloth in lukewarm water. Dab your face one last time with the Seabreeze. Once it's dry, apply a light coat of your favorite moisturizer and consider yourself done...and beautiful.

Don't be stingy. The products are all so affordable that you'll be able to offer this as a gift to friends and lovers, and there'll still be plenty left for you. And trust me on this one, you'll look forward to the chance to do your next weekly facial, and wait till you see the difference in your complexion now that all the old skin cells are gone.